May 6, 1942 - $10 Received

Wednesday P.M.

Dear Mom + Dad,

Just a short note to you to state that I have received the ten dollars you sent me. I didn’t expect it so soon. The air mail system is really fast down here. I can’t express my gratitude for you being so kind but simply: thanks a million. You can’t appreciate how handy it is as this moment when I’m flat broke. It won’t be long now before I get my raise to $30 and in July I get $42. I’ll manage all right I hope, from here in. Perhaps I may get a rating on leaving here and that will mean another boost.

I have my first weekly test tomorrow and I will have to buckle down and study quite hard as the stuff is pretty tough.

Glad to figure that Sweetheart is in an improved condition. That Regal tire is less than a year old. I had a 15 month guarantee on it, which is among my car papers at Strauss Stores. I don’t know what you can do about it but look at it and see what’s what.

I’m glad to hear you’ve worked out a different shift for Mother. I only hope she can take advantage of it.

I’ll write again soon.

Love to all
Bob

May 5, 1942 - Hot

Tuesday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

Just a short note to let you know I’m still in existence. It is really hot down here 120 in the sun. The old thermometer just goes up to the top and that is no exaggeration. I imagine it is about 90 in the shade. I wouldn’t mind it so much but we have to wear our heavy clothes. We can’t change to summer issue until May 10. It is particularly hard as we have to sit in classes all day and sweat.

The work here is going to be pretty tough as they sling and awful lot at you in a short time and expect you to absorb it. It is quite possible on getting out of here I will get a rating of some sort.

By the way send my swimming trunks down so I will be able to go swimming in the camp pool soon. I’ve been having a rather good time down here as we have a little freedom when we are finished. Of course I haven’t got money to do much but I manage. I’m going to the U.S.O. dance Saturday night and see if I can make a few female acquaintances.

I’m going to drop a few lines to Nana to help her out a little and maybe you (if you’re lucky.) I'll write again soon

Love to all
Bob

May 3, 1942 - New Domicile

Sunday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m back in again to tell you a little about my new domicile. I really think it is pretty swell as a whole from what I’ve seen.

I was lucky enough to get a more or less private room. There are four rooms in the barracks besides the main parts. There are about 35 men sleeping in the main part. In my room I have four fellows and it is really is heaven compared to the main part. We are all by ourselves, don’t have to have lights out as the rest do and can have some privacy.

I have a class A pass which entitles me to leave anytime after 5 P.M. On weekdays we have to be in by 11 P.M and Saturdays 2 A.M. We have no bed checks or anything to check up on us. We have to be off the streets of town by the hours listed above. So if we wanted to we could stay in a hotel as long as we were off the streets and come in in the morning. Which is very good treatment for an army camp.

I do nothing around here except go to classes. I have classes from 8 to 12 and from 1 to 4. No hikes or drilling or the baloney I had in Barkeley. They are very tough on the work in classes and we have weekly tests. It is a very concentrated course. They try to cover a three year nursing course in two months. Thus you can see we have to work while we’re here. I don’t mind doing that at all. I think that on graduation from here I may get some sort of rating. They jump a lot of men to sergeant rank if you show any stuff. I intend to work at it and see if I can’t get myself in a higher pay bracket than at present. I probably won’t get anything out of it but I’m going to give it a fling. The best part of the whole setup is the way they treat you. I feel more like a man again and not just somebody’s puppet to do all the dirty work.

I will graduate from here on July 29 and then will we be up for shipment again. I’m still hoping its get east then. I ought to be due for a furlough about then and I don’t want to spend a miniature fortune to get home. Here’s hoping!

There are a lot of fellows from Peekskill stationed at Fort Bliss which is part of our hospital. I ran into a few of them last night down in El Paso. It sure was funny to walk the streets of a strange town and then meet someone you know. My original bunch at Barkeley is split. Ray Puff remained at Barkeley because he missed so much time in the hospital. Ray Dring was sent to San Antionia. Vin Calabrese came here with me but lives in a different barrack. Ivine Contrell and I are together in the same room.

The place around here is beautiful. The hospital is situated among beautiful surroundings and is really nice. There are some of the survivors of Pearl Harbor in the hospital here. There are tennis courts and a swimming pool for us to use. It costs only 6c to go to El Paso by bus. I was in last night to visit it. It is a fairly lousy town as most of the population is Mexican (60%). There are plenty of beer joints around and I managed to grab a few beers last night. The places are really what you would call honky tonk.

Juarez, Mexico is just across the Rio Grande River and it costs 6c from El Paso to go in there, I’m going to get in there soon and look around at Mexico. I’m going down to take a bull fight in a few weeks. They have them every Sunday in Juarez and I want to see one for the experience if nothing else. I want to take advantage of my chances to see what I can.

Carlsbad Caverns are around here and I’m going up to see them some weekend. I borrowed five bucks from one of the fellows and I have a little money left. I have just two bucks to my name (borrowed). No pay until the end of the month when I get back plus my present. I will then have plenty. I’ll just have to take it easy until then. I hope you have received my request for the dough. I really appreciate your sentiment in saying that you would go without for me. It sure is swell to have a family like that. I’m going to close now as I’m fairly tired. Drop me a line soon and I’ll write you again in the middle of the week.

Love to all
Bob

May 1, 1942 - El Paso Arrival

Friday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

Well here I am in a different part of Texas and almost out of the U.S. This town is right on the border of Mexico and we can go across for the sum of 8c from camp. I arrived here in El Paso after a all night train ride. I left Barkeley at 6 P.M. and pulled in here at 5:30 A.M. Pretty lousy time but then these troop trains are no express trains.

Incidentally my address is:

School for Medical Technicians
Company B, Barracks 25, Upper
Wm Beaumont General Hospital
El Paso, Texas

This place is my idea of what an army camp should be like. They are going to treat us like men instead of cattle. The place itself is beautiful but barren. A great hill rises above the camp which is made up of gravel and rock and it is really pretty. On the other side of our camp is a Army air field. On another the outskirts of El Paso. El Paso has a population of 100,000; 60% Mexican, 10% Negro + the rest whites. Juarez, in Mexico is right across the river from El Paso. We are allowed to go over there any time we want. - We are getting class A passes tomorrow. Anytime we’re not on duty we can go to town. On weeknights we have to be in a 11:30. In Saturday 2 A.M. Pretty nice? I guess we are going to have to study pretty hard here to get by. We go to school for two months and then are ready for duty in a hospital.

I’m completely satisfied with the set up here and I think I’m going to really like it.

I don’t get paid until the end of this month and then we get the back pay. Will you please send me $10 via air mail as soon as possible. I’ve borrowed some money and can hold out for awhile but I want to clear my debts. I was counting on getting paid and they crossed me up so I was cut short. I won’t let it happen again.

I’ll drop you another line tomorrow night or Sunday.

Love to All
Bob

April 30, 1942 - Packed to Leave

Thursday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m just about ready to leave for Beaumont Hospital, El Paso, Texas. I’ve just taken my barracks bag with all my junk over to battalion headquarters. I don’t know for sure when we take the train but it won’t be too long now. I imagine that we will hit El Paso sometime tomorrow morning. It is about 480 miles from here and I getting further away from home all the time. I’ll drop you a card tomorrow with my new address. The fellows Vin + Iv are going with me. Ray Puff is taking part of the training period over as he was in the hospital 5 weeks. Your last letter received here last night so they haven’t started to chase me as yet.

We did not get paid today as we were supposed to. I’m practically flat broke. 70c. I don’t know when we will get paid again. Unless we get a supplementary payroll we will not get it until the end of May. I hear the $42 has gone through and is due July 1. I can usually find something to do with it. - Don’t forget to send me a ten spot via airmail as soon as you get my definite address.

I’ll write you again tomorrow.

Love to all
Bob

April 29, 2008 - Shipping Orders

Thursday Morn.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have definite information now that I’m going to be stationed at El Paso. We leave sometime Thursday. I dated this letter wrong as it is only Wednesday. The shipping orders have gone through and are in the office but have not been posted yet. They will be posted for sure tomorrow. I don’t know my address so as soon as I arrive I’ll give it to you. Don’t write to me anymore until you hear from me again.

I finished my day of K.P. yesterday but it makes for an awful long day. Our company is due for guard duty tonight and I hope I’m not on it I’d hate to spend my last night in the camp on guard duty. I’ll just have to wait and pray for a little luck.

I’d like to go to town tonight to go to the USO dance and I will if there is no guard duty.

The whole battalion is filled up with new recruits except for one company. I can now see how I must have looked and acted when I first moved in. Right now I’m pretty much of a veteran around here anyway. Soon I’ll just be starting over again.

I’ll write you again as soon as I hit El Paso.

Love to All
Bob

April 27, 1942 - Bad Mood

Monday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I really shouldn’t be writing this letter as I’m in a bad mood. This place is getting me down. We have moved out of B company and are in the A Co. and expect to move out of there to God knows where. They claim we’re going to move into one of the classrooms. You see the new recruits are all moving in and we have to get out to make room for them. It sure is the nuts we don’t know whats going on around here.

Tomorrow I’m on my second stint of K.P. in the last 4 days. I was on today but got out of it. You see we eat in all different mess halls and we were on one that wasn’t our own; they shifted our mess so they let us off. We have guard duty on Wednesday night to top it all. Right now we are the scum of the earth and its got me down.

It is pretty definitive that we are leaving Thursday and that we are going to either San Antonio or El Paso. I had my hopes up for the east but I guess its not to be yet. However, nothings really definite as yet, that is absolutely sure. I’ll let you know as soon as I possibly can.

I sent you a letter last night with just a picture of me that was taken on bivouac. Here are a few more. The group picture contains me, Vin Calabrese + Ray Dring in that order. They are pretty fair pictures and I want you to save them for me please.

I want to ask you a big favor if I can. I rather hate to do it but I have to as I’m practically broke, about $1.60. I get paid about $8 at the end of the month but I can’t last the whole month on that. So if you would send me a money order as soon as you get my new address I’d appreciate it. I’d like to have about $10 but if you can’t send that send as much as you can spare.

Drop me a line about sweetheart. I’m rather curious. From you account it seems ready for the junk heap. I’ll close now as I’ve had to move into the latrine to finish this as lights have been turned out. Write soon.

Love Bob.

April 25, 1942 Sweetheart

Saturday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

Back to the old stomping ground and to continue my brief note of last night. I can’t tell you anything new of note but at least it will answer your letter received today.

Dad, you’re getting to be quite a card as evidenced by you letter. “That’s my pop”.

The reason I have very little to write about is because I have done absolutely nothing in a week. It is getting very boresome hanging around the barracks doing nothing. I’d rather be back doing something even though it was the inconsequential things we did before. Oh well next week I’ll be moved for sure. I’ve just found out that the technicians go to school for only about a month and then they send them out again for 2 months actual experience. So even if I don’t get east now I have another chance soon. Maybe I’ll make it yet. Here’s hoping.

I’m glad you found out about Sweetheart. Do I understand it right in that you have disconnected the radio? As near as I could figure that is what you did. Did the tire give out completely or did it just blow? The Regal on the rear had a bad sidewall and had a inner linning in it. The other an All State was the car’s original set. I presume it was one of those two as the front tires were new not so long ago. If one is all shot just what did you do for a replacement. The spare is no good at all except as a spare. How about the tires under the back porch are any of them useable? I guess you’ll have to be riding sweetheart on the rims next. I knew that those tires couldn’t last too long as I needed at least 2 new ones.

Thats about all for now as soon as I get my shipping notice I’ll drop you a line.

Love to all
Bob

P.S. Just an afterthought I’ll be hitting you for about $10 in about two weeks
------
Mom I bet this letter will interest you all about Sweetheart, never mind honey I still love you and think of you.

April 24, 1942 - Trip to Sweetwater

Friday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I still haven’t been shipped out of this place. I don’t think we move until the 29th or 30th of this month. I’m getting rather tired of hanging around here. There is nothing to do except guard duty and K.P. once in a while. The rest of the time we just loaf around. The barracks itself are deserted. There are only 15 fellows left out the 60 odd we had before. I’ll be going “stir crazy” soon.

I went into Sweetwater Wednesday night with some of the fellows. The cook for our company has a 1940 Chevie convertible and he took us. It was the first beer I’ve had since I’ve been in the army and it was sure good. The fellows certainly did have a good time and I was no exception.

I’m going into Abilene tomorrow nite to the usual U.S.O dance and expect to have the usual good time. I’m leaving right after dinner tomorrow. I think I’ll get to bed now so will you please wait until tomorrow for me to write you again.

Love to All
Bob

April 20, 1942 - Radio for $5

Monday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

Your letter received today. I’m just going to write you a short note as nothing much is happening. The boys are all moving out of here. Some of them are going under sealed orders which means actual service. I haven’t received any orders yet as to where or when I’m going. As far as I can gleam the technicians will leave around the 29th. I hope not as we will have to do K.P. and guard duty. But so far no orders. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. They say no one in the company is going east but I still have hopes.

I’ve had all day off today plus yesterday. Its really wonderful.

I had a marvelous time Saturday night with Jo at the dance. She is a very nice girl and it’s a shame that I’m leaving just as I’m getting acquainted around town.

The USO is giving a free stage show tonight which I’m going to. The U.S.O. really functions around here. I’m sorry I ever tore it down but I presume it took time to get going. It is really worthwhile.

Sorry to hear about the troubles at home but then nothing can be done about it. So bear up as I’m doing down here. How’s Marion? Tell Brother to write when he gets a chance.

I’m beginning to like it here now that my training is all done. It will be a lot better when I get in Tech. School and have a definite job to do instead of marching + bivouac etc. Once I get acquainted in my new camp and meet some nice gals as I have here I’ll be all set.

You don’t have to worry about me and the galloping domino’s (dice) as I can’t see it. The four fellows play penny ante poker once in awhile but only to pass the time away. You never lose more than 30 or 40 cents.

I paid Puff $5 for the radio and now I own two - one here + one at home. I figured it would cost a lot to have mine shipped and I can always sell this one for 5 bucks. I haven’t lost anything except I’ll have to deprive myself for awhile. Will it be all right to send home for a little money if I get stuck?

That’s about all the news for now. I’ll write again in a few days.

Love to all
Bob

April 18, 1942 - Basic Training Completed, A Date for the USO Dance.

Saturday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have now completed my training here and I’m all set to move out. As yet I have no idea of where or when I’ll be sent. As soon as I get my new address I’ll write to you and let you know. You can write me here if you wish as my mail will be forwarded.

You can see by the stationary that I’m in the U.S.O. at Abilene waiting. I’m in again as its Saturday and dance night. I went to a dance in the field house at Camp last night and had a wonderful time. I managed to get myself a date for tonight with a girl I had met two weeks ago here. She’s a swell kid. She happens to be a school teacher of the same age as I am. She teaches commercial subjects in high school. I hope you approve.

We had our graduation exercises today and they were very boring. However I’m very glad that it is all over. I hope to get a few days to loaf and catch up on some back sleep. They claim everyone will be shipped out of camp by the end of next week.

I got paid yesterday $10 and right now I have plenty of money as I still had $10 from the first of the month. I’m going to give $5 to Ray Puff for the radio so that will cut me down a little. I get paid $9.68 at the end of the month. If that pay raise would only hurry up and go through I’d be all set. I’ve been reading snatches about it in the paper. As far as I can see its pretty sure of going through. I have only a little over a month to go before I get my $30 anyway. I’m really advancing fast.

I haven’t got much more to tell you. I’m going out an get something to eat and then out on my date. Write soon.

Love to All
Bob

April 15, 1942 - Bivouac

Wednesday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have now returned from bivouac and am perfectly all right. I’ll give you more details about it later. I’m now waiting to go to the second show so I’m just starting this and will finish it later.

I received both your letters and it sure was good to hear from you. Dad’s letter I received on bivouac. I was also glad to hear that I was home and Mary called up about me. The only trouble was that no one told me about it. Unless I get shipped east (I hope) I won’t be home for a few more months anyway. I see by the Peekskill paper that one of the fellows who was drafted with me and is in Alabama was home on a 5 day furlough. I don’t know how they do it. I can’t even get a day off around this camp, not even Sunday. Oh well, our training period is just about finished. I might have to hang around for a few weeks waiting for shipment but there won’t be much to do. I guess I’ll have to stand it for only a short while longer. I still have a hunch that I’m going to end up back east as I told you before. I sure hope so as I’d like to get home for a few days anyway. Keep your fingers crossed.

I’m going to the show now and I’ll finish this thing later.

It is now after 10 P.M and I have just returned from the show. It was very good.

------

They woke us up Monday morning ½ hour earlier and we rolled out of camp at 7:20. After walking 12 miles we finally arrived at the bivouac area at about 1 P.M. We then pitched our tents and fooled around. At 3 P.M they called us out walked about 1 mile away from camp and told us to go out in the field and lay day. We did that and did absolutely nothing - until 5 P.M when we walked back to camp. Don’t ask me why we laid down as I don’t know.

After spending a sleepless night on the ground on our pup tents we awoke at 6P.M. At about 8 P.M. we moved out of camp about a mile + a half. We were supposed to be the infantry and thus the casualties. While we were running through the field a lieutenant shot off 3 firecrackers to simulate warfare. 3 little booms! Then we were supposed to be hurt so I laid down and went to sleep until 11:30. In the afternoon I got a special detail job and managed to do very little work all afternoon. In the evening we had a big fire just like the boyscouts. The first sergeant, who is a typical hard boiled army man (a second John ????) was drunk and entertained us. You would have to hear him to appreciate it. He really is good old egg.

Calabrese and I built ourselves a mattress out of straw and brush just like the boy scouts and managed to get a halfway decent sleep.

Up at 6.P.M again and out the field as casualties to sleep again. At 10AM we came back and struck our tents. At 1PM we rolled out of bivouac camp and walked 12 miles home. I was dead tired when I hit camp but after a shower I felt fine again.

So that ended bivouac. It really wasn’t hard except for the walking with the heavy pack. You have to carry all the stuff you need and I image it weighs about 60 lbs. It sure gets heavy after a while. I got myself marvelous sunburn. Not a bad case that hurts but a nice start on a tan.

I’m going to buy the radio Puff bought for five bucks and take it with me. I’ll have to scrape like the devil and I might ask you for a few bucks later on. However I’ll give you plenty of notice.

I’m going to bed now so I’ll write again soon.

Love to All
Bob

P.S. In another two days I graduate to a eagle scout and get my badge.

April 12, 1942 KP Today, Bivouac Tomorrow

Sunday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m all set for a tough week this coming week. Worst of it all it is that my turn on K.P came up today and I had to work on my day of rest. Tomorrow morning at 7 o’clock we start our bivouac finally by walking twelve miles.

I had a pretty fair time at the U.S.O. dance last night. I wrote you a card last night from there which you’ll probably get before this letter. I met a nice girl last week but she didn’t show up this week and I was disappointed.

As I told you in the first paragraph our bivouac starts rain or shine. The weather today has been raining on and off and it will sure be nice to go out in the mud. But then it might be clear. And when its clear there is nothing nicer than a Texas evening. I guess it won’t be so bad. We return on Wednesday which makes only three days instead of four as originally scheduled.

Thursday we check in our field equipment which means nothing to do. On Friday they are going to pay us a half months salaries. You see shipments start after Saturday and they don’t want to send anyone out broke. Of course a lot of them will lose it all in a crap game but then it is a nice gesture.

Saturday we are supposed to have graduation exercise. I thought I was all through with them but I’m getting another one. Oh well I guess I can stand it. I hope I don’t have to buy a cap + gown. I think this is one place I’m going to really enjoy graduating from.

I don’t know as yet where or when I’ll be shipped but it will be any time and anyplace after Saturday. I’ll notify you as soon as I start to move.

I’m tired so I’m going to bed. Give my regards to Nana + Marion, Harold + Lee Adair

Love Bob

April 11, 1942 - Greetings thru The USO Club

Dear Mom + Dad,

Here I am again at the USO in Abilene waiting for the dance. I once said the USO was a hokum organization but I have changed my mind now. This place is really nice and they have lots of every kind of equipment. I finally go out on bivouac Monday but only three days. I graduate from here next Sat. Graduation exercises and everything. I’ll drop you a line tomorrow.

Love Bob

April 9, 1942 - Bivouac Postponed

Thursday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I received your letter today and thanks. As you can see we haven’t gone on bivouac. It rained around here for the two days and they called it off until Monday. I really feel bad about it. But if you had of seen the rain around here you could see why they called it off.

If isn’t the dust around here its rain and if its not rain its mud. We’ve been going out on hikes etc in mud up to our knees and its no picnic. You just can’t win around here.

They tell us that out training period is definitely over after we come back from bivouac. That means we will be through next Thursday. At any time after that we will be up for shipment. As yet I’m not absolutely certain where we’re going. I told you I had a hunch it wouldn’t be El Paso or San Antonio. I guess I just have to wait and see.

Incidentally, I had a swell time at the dance in town last Saturday nite and expect to go again this Saturday if they will let us. A fellow in our barracks has contacted the measles and that means we’ll probably be confined to camp.

I’ll be rather glad to get out of here as you undoubtly know. I just get fed up on this whole place every once in a while and then I snap out of it. You can just go so long and then it gets you down. I have just gotten over a period of depression.

There is a dance tomorrow night at the camp’s U.S.O and I’m thinking of going. Even though there is too many soldiers you manage to have a lot of fun. It breaks up the monotony of camp life.

Hows Marion and Lee Adair? I received a card from brother announcing her arrival but haven’t heard from him as yet.

I’m glad to hear you people think of me often and I do the same of you. Please don’t worry about me though as I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

I’m going to close now as it is 11:30 and lights have been out for 2 hours.

Love to all
Bob